Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume V

740.00119 Council/9–1045: Telegram

The American Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State

Bucharest, September 10, 1945—1 p.m.
[Received 11:25 p.m.]

663. There follow detailed answers to points 1 through 5 listed in Deptel No. 485, Sept 8, 5 p.m.⁹⁶ The information received from General Schuyler under each point is set forth between quotes:

1. General Schuyler states: “Status of US representative on Control Commission is governed by statutes promulgated by General Susaikov 17 August 1945. These statutes establish rights and privileges of US representatives exactly paralleling rights and privileges of the US representatives in the Hungarian ACC. The US representative has his own staff of 17 officers and 32 enlisted men established in a building several blocks from the Russian ACC headquarters. No American officer is expected to visit Russian ACC headquarters unless accompanied by the Russian liaison officer who is assigned to the US representation. Chief US and British representatives meet with the Deputy Chairman ACC three or four times each month at which times questions presented in advance by British and US representatives are answered by the Deputy Chairman. In addition at certain of these meetings representatives of the Rumanian Govt are present and present reports covering certain Rumanian governmental activities. Senior officers on the staff of the Chief US representative meet occasionally with Russian officers who are chiefs of various sections of the ACC (military, naval, economic, and air sections). The procedure at these meetings follows the procedure at meetings of chief representatives.

In addition to the scheduled joint meetings a number of important matters have been brought to the attention of the Deputy Chairman by letters addressed to him by the chief US representative. In the course of the past 7 months approximately 90 such letters have been written covering a large range of subjects; as for example, protection of American property, questionable activities of the Rumanian Govt, deportation of German nationals to Russia, size and composition of the Rumanian Army, personal safety of important Rumanian political leaders, freedom of the press, and details of working procedures for the ACC Rumania. Of these 90 letters less than 20 per cent have been answered either verbally or in writing. In a few other cases it has been evident that action on the matters presented actually was taken by the ACC Deputy Chairman. In the majority of cases however there has been no indication of any sort that the matters raised were ever given consideration.”

The United States Mission in Bucharest was set up independently of the US representation on the Allied Control Commission and so from its inception did not consider itself bound by the statutes of the Control Commission. As it existed prior to the arrival of the American representative on the Control Commission, its status and activities were explained directly to the local Soviet authorities. It was accepted by them in accordance with this explanation. Its activities within Rumania have never been questioned or interfered with by the Soviet authorities. However when clearances are required for members of its staff to enter or leave Rumania it is obliged to fall in with the practices established by the Control Commission. In all matters concerning the Control Commission this Mission operates through General Schuyler’s office.

Upon its arrival the Mission was welcomed by the Rumanian Govt then in power. The same cordial relations continued with the succeeding Govt but with the present govt of Dr. Groza the Mission had no social or protocolar relations. Nevertheless the Mission continues to maintain close contact with the Govt upon the administrative level. Informal letters addressed by the Mission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have normally received prompt and courteous replies.

2. General Schuyler states: “At no time since our arrival here last November has any US representative participated in the formulation of any important directive to the Rumanian Govt. The ACC procedures of 17 August, 1945, prescribe that the Deputy Chairman shall discuss questions of principle with US and British representatives before issuance to Rumanian Govt of directives covering these questions. However no such discussions have as yet taken place. At no time since last November has any United States representative been permitted by Russians to inspect any document of any nature delivered to Rumanian Govt by ACC. Certain instructions of a minor nature have been reported to US representatives subsequent to their delivery, and one or two minor matters such as the calling up of additional recruits for Rumanian Army, were discussed at ACC meetings prior to issuance of instructions.”

3. General Schuyler states: “(a) United States officials are authorized complete freedom of circulation throughout Rumania except for that portion of the Danube River between Braila and the Black Sea (Sulina). The chief US ACC representative recently was specifically denied access to this portion of the Danube by the Deputy Chairman ACC who stated that such portion was under control of Soviet High Command and not of ACC Rumania. (b) Great difficulty has been experienced in securing clearance for entry into Rumania of US press representatives. Although over one month has now passed since the Potsdam Conference,⁹⁷ only one press representative has been authorized by ACC to enter Rumania and his clearance was not received until 7 September. The names of 14 press correspondents have been officially submitted to the ACC for clearance some of these as long as 6 months ago. We have had frequent promises that clearances would be arranged but thus far only one such clearance has come through. In matter of difficulties in securing release of press reports I believe the United States Mission has full information.”

(a) From the time of the arrival of the officers of the Mission no restriction has been placed upon their movement within the country. There was little occasion to move around during winter months but in the month of May in preparation of my trip home for consultations I traveled by motor car more than 3,000 miles over Rumanian roads. Although one passes Soviet control points in entering and leaving each city, I was permitted to pass freely upon the display of my documents.

(b) In [On?] March 1, I complained to Mr. Vyshinski, who was then in Bucharest, that ACC had failed to act upon applications of many journalists who desired to come to Rumania. He took note of my complaint.⁹⁸ Two weeks later four American journalists were flown in from Moscow, permitted free circulation in Rumania, and then flown back to Moscow. Such stories as they tried to send out from Bucharest were badly cut by the censor. As a result no one attempted to send out a true story and no important story from that group of journalists reached America until Leigh White arrived in Rome 2 months later. Since the departure of that group at the end of March, only two American journalists have visited Rumania. They arrived on August 30 without the approval of the ACC but left with its approval on September 8. A single American journalist was cleared this week with the ACC. Thus between the end of March and the present time only one American journalist has been authorized to come to Rumania although the applications of at least 14 have been pending, some of them since last November.

The Rumanian censorship is such that the last two journalists that came here said that they would not return and would advise against any of their colleagues coming here until American journalists were able to send out their stories without having them garbled by the Rumanian censor to the point where their context is changed.

4. General Schuyler states: “Under the terms of the 17 August, 1945 procedures,⁹⁹ members of the United States Representation can contact Rumanian officials only through the Chairman or Deputy Chairman ACC. No direct official contacts between US representatives and Rumanian Govt officials are authorized. Of course considerable local information is obtained by members of the US representation from Rumanian individuals through personal and unofficial contacts, many of which are social in nature. However any information received officially from Rumanian Govt must pass through the Deputy Chairman ACC for his vussiac red [sic]. On many occasions, in conformance with this procedure, we have requested Russian assistance in securing information from the Rumanians. In every case, the information was received after delays of from 2 weeks to several months and was couched in such general and nonspecific terms as to be almost useless for our purposes.”

As this Mission is not restricted by the rules of the ACC it has received promptly from official Rumanian sources copies of ACC directives to the Rumanian Govt and copies of replies to Rumanian Govt to these directives. Occasionally the Mission has received latter before they were received by the Soviet authorities. Thus on an informal and personal basis, Mission has had through local Rumanian officials access to a full measure of local information.

5. General Schuyler states “chief difficulties in this regard have been as follows:

(a) Russian seizure of machinery supplies and other items belonging to US owned oil companies. In cases of this type the chief US Representative has protested to the Deputy Chairman Allied Control Commission and has requested that either the property be returned or that seizures be suspended pending consultations by US and Russian Governments. In one such case involving 4 American owned tank cars assurances were given that cars would be returned but to date this has not been accomplished. In the other and more important cases the requests were disregarded and seizures continued as originally scheduled by the Russians.

(b) In certain other cases individuals claiming US citizenship have been seized by the Russians as Saxons and deported to Russia in disregard of certificates and other documentary evidence tending to indicate US citizenship. Letters addressed by the US representative to the Deputy Chairman protesting these seizures and calling for the return of the individuals concerned have brought no results.

(c) In two cases commercial organizations in which the majority stock interests are American have been treated by the Rumanian Government as enemy property and have had Rumanian administrators appointed to control their operations. Protests by the US Allied Control Commission Representative to the Allied Control Commission Deputy Chairman have thus far elicited no reply.

(d) Serious delays and difficulties have been encountered in securing clearance for entry into Rumania by American business men and philanthropists closely associated with legitimate American interests in this country. Certain of these individuals have actually been refused entry, a few have been cleared after delays of several months’ duration and in at least two cases clearance applications which were submitted over 6 months ago are still pending, no answer having been received even after repeated reminders.

(e) Administrative delays and obstacles in every day operation of US Missions Bucharest are continually being encountered. Many of these must be considered prejudicial to the interests and prestige of the US. For example a regularly scheduled and properly cleared administrative airplane flight to Bucharest from Italy recently could not be made on the date specified because of bad weather. Our application to have the plane come in on the following day was rejected with a statement that an entire new clearance would have to be arranged necessitating a delay of at least 5 days.”

As this Mission has no means of exerting direct pressure upon the Groza government for the protection of American citizens and their property, and it is doubtful if that government would have the authority to protect such property even if it desired to do so, it has been necessary where citizens or their property have been jeopardized to work for their protection through General Schuyler’s office. His office issues certificates to cover property that is American owned. When such property is taken or damaged he asks redress according to circumstances through the Allied Control Commission or directly of Rumanian authorities. Thus the difficulties that the General has set forth above accurately describe the situation both for the American Representative on the Allied Control Commission and for the US mission in Rumania.

Sent to London as 24 and Dept as 663.

[

Berry

]

96. Not printed; it requested detailed answers to the following points concerning the status and operations of the Allied Control Commissions in Rumania, Hungary, and Bulgaria: (1) current position of American representatives on the Control Commissions and of the American political representatives; (2) the degree of American participation in the formation of directives to the local governments; (3) the difficulties in the circulation of American officials and the admission of and reporting by press correspondents; (4) the limitations on access to local information and officials; (5) the obstacles to the protection of American nations and interests (740.00119 Council/9–845).
97. Part X of the Report on the Tripartite Conference of Berlin, August 2, 1945, stated, inter alia, that the United States, British, and Soviet Governments expressed the conviction that the Allied press would enjoy freedom to report developments in Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland. See bracketed note, p. 561.
98. With regard to the exchange of remarks between Berry and Vyshinsky on the subject of freedom of the press in Rumania, see telegram 151, March 1, from Bucharest, p. 489.
99. The new procedures proposed for the Allied Control Commission for Rumania by the Soviet authorities were set forth in telegram M–1446, August 18, from Schuyler to the War Department, p. 571.